Peru is poised to play a greater role in the supply of Hass avocados to China, according to Juan Carlos Ríos of Interbank.
“Peru currently supplies less than 10 per cent of Chinese imports but we believe this could rise to 20 per cent within the next two years,” Ríos told El Comercio.
He said Mexico’s work to introduce and promote avocados to Chinese consumers had been hugely successful, leading to a 160 per cent surge in consumption in 2015 and paving the way for exports from Peru.
“This has played to our favour, causing an explosion in demand,” Ríos noted.
He pointed out that Peru’s export window, which coincides with the Mexican low season, also played in its favour, as prices could reach US$35 per 4kg carton during these weeks.
Unlike Mexico, which is subject to a 10 per cent tariff, Peruvian avocados can enter the market tariff-free.
Ríos said the key to Peru’s success lay in being able to maintain the high quality standards demanded by the Chinese market. “China is prepared to pay for quality but the punishment when shipments fail to live up to their quality requirements are severe,” he stated.
He added that Peru had all the necessary credentials to become a major player in the supply of value-added products.
